Or have you seen round, white poofs of fluff that you can blow into the air to make a wish? Those two flowers are the same flower. They're called “dandelions,” which comes from the French words for “lion's tooth.” They're bright and friendly-looking, but grown-ups can't stand them.
A dandelion seed is the plant's mature fruit, known as a cypsela to botanists, and its parachute-like structure is known as a pappus. The pappus develops as the calyx of each floret dries and matures, so it serves two important roles for the plant.
As dandelions turn to seed, children everywhere rush to pick them, so that they can close their eyes, make a wish, and blow the seeds into the air.
With their golden flowers in the early spring, dandelions represent the return of life, the rebirth of growth and green after a harsh winter, and a display of abundant strength and power.
Eventually, all those beautiful flowers turn into white globes of exposed seeds that are often called "puffballs."
The basal leaves of Carolina false dandelion can be much like dandelion leaves. They often disappear by flowering time. The flowerheads of Carolina false dandelion are usually solitary, terminal, like those of dandelion but bright sulphur yellow.
The Structure of the Dandelion
Attached to each seed is a long, thin stem that leads to a fuzzy-looking parachute structure at the end, which is called a pappus. The pappus is formed as each individual floret from the original flower dries up, leaving the center stem and the residual piece of fluff at the end.
Legend has it that, if you can blow all the seeds off a dandelion with a single breath, then the person you love will love you back. If seeds remain, then the object of your affection may have reservations about their feelings toward you. Still others believe dandelions may help you tell the time or even the weather.
Once you have your stem, it is time to think about your wish. Important rule, never tell anyone for what you are wishing. If you are making a wish primarily for yourself it is always a good idea to tack one on for a friend.
Lotus flower meaning across cultures
Because lotuses rise from the mud without stains, they are often viewed as a symbol of purity. Since they return to the murky water each evening and open their blooms at the break of day, lotus flowers are also symbols of strength, resilience, and rebirth.
Chrysanthemum. "In Chinese culture the chrysanthemum is offered to elders as a symbol of longevity and good luck," Enfield explains. Gold chrysanthemums may be especially lucky, as they are said to represent wealth and prosperity, she says.
Cornflower. This dainty blue bloom holds a special meaning, blessing.
A wish plant was a kind of plant that would seemingly give someone any object they wished for. Excessive granting of wishes would severely affect the plant's health. However, tears cried onto the plant could bring it back to full verdure.
We see the dandelion as symbolising the ability to rise above life's challenges. People with ADHD can overcome obstacles through the use of their intelligence and connections with people who can share mutual support in facing life's challenges.
REMEMBER?? If you rub a dandelion under your chin and your skin turns yellow, you like butter -- at least according to an old wives tale found in cultures worldwide. Blow away the dandelion seeds and you can tell the future by counting how many seeds are left, according to other superstitions.
Dandelions are both male and female at the same time. For most hermaphroditic flowers, the genders develop at slightly different times to avoid inbreeding. Inbreeding allows negative traits that are normally recessive to become physical traits, which isn't good.
These tattoo designs can also represent resilience and rebirth. Whether they're a golden yellow or a fluffy white, dandelions are undoubtedly a flower rich in symbolism. Some represent purity and innocence, recalling our childhood memories, and others symbolize the desire to move on from the past.
Handcrafted within 9-12 business days. Dandelion Puffs are known to symbolize hope, freedom, optimism, limitlessness and fulfilled wishes.
In 18th century England children held the dandelion under their chin and the more golden the glow the sweeter and kinder they were.(1) One legend surrounding these flowers was that the tallest dandelion stalk that a child could find in the early spring will show how much taller they will grow in the coming year.
Some people believe that if you make a wish while puffing a dandelion it will definitely come true. There is no evidence that all the wishes really are fulfilled after puffing dandelions, but if your wish is connected with body health it will be realized with high probability.
Dandelion makes the only flower representing three celestial bodies during different phases of its life cycle – sun, moon, stars. The yellow flower of the plant resembles the sun, the dispersing seeds of the plant resemble stars, and the puff ball of dandelion plant resembles the moon.
The Dandelion's Lifecycle is Magical
The seeds travel on the wind, settle, and sprout, continuing the lifecycle. It's those seeds that we blow into the wind as we make wishes. No-one knows how this tradition started, but it's believed that dandelion seeds carry your wishes away to make them come true.
The dandelion seed head will come out almost completely unscathed and…completely dry! Why not try this little experiment for yourself? It's really easy to do and great to do with children. All you need is a glass of water and a dandelion that has gone to seed - also called a dandelion clock.
The dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is an abundant “weed” plant that also happens to be edible. In fact, nearly the entire plant can be consumed in one way or another. The only inedible part is the stem, which contains a very bitter, milky substance.
Each dandelion seed is attached to a bundle of roughly 100 feathery bristles known as a pappus, whose name derives from an ancient Greek word for grandfather due to its resemblance to a beard.